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Vancouver police are investigating the city’s fifth homicide this year after a 28-year-old woman died from injuries sustained early Thursday during an assault outside a nightclub.

Shortly before 2 a.m., there was a minor altercation between the victim and two women aged 25 and 29 inside the Caprice Nightclub in the Granville entertainment district. It then escalated into an assault outside the club, during which the victim fell onto the ground and was reportedly punched and kicked.

Vancouver nightclub assault now homicide after woman, 28, dies of injuries; two women arrestedBack to video

Police said Caprice staff intervened to break up the assault. VPD spokesman Const. Brian Montague said his understanding was that the assault took place “very quickly” and door staff responded appropriately.

The two suspects fled from the area on foot and police traced them to a taxi half an hour later. The women were arrested as they exited the cab near Abbott and Hastings streets.

The victim was taken to hospital in “very critical” condition, suffering from head trauma, Montague said. She died of her injuries late Thursday evening.

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Montague says the incident is now being investigated as a homicide. The two suspects have been interviewed and released from custody pending further investigation and results of an autopsy, which will play a crucial role in determining if the victim had a pre-existing medical condition and influencing what charges are recommended to the Crown.

Montague said there’s no concern that the suspects pose a threat to public safety or are a flight risk. He said one suspect appeared to be the main aggressor but said he couldn’t give more details about the women because charges had not been laid.

He had little information to provide about the victim but said she did not appear to know her attackers.

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Garrison Cade Johnson, 19, who was at the club with friends that night, said he was smoking outside when one of the suspects appeared to push the victim to the ground.

He said other witnesses were initially shouting and laughing, thinking the two women were fighting, but it quickly became clear the victim was being assaulted as she tried to shield her face from kicks and punches.

The attack lasted about 20 seconds before Caprice staff rushed in to break it up, Johnson said. “The victim was on the ground, still, and she was knocked out,” he said.

He said the attacker was wearing boots and kicked the victim “really hard” in the temple.

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“Right when I saw that I was concerned. It’s quite disturbing, an awful situation.”

Johnson said staff told him and other witnesses who were trying to help to step back while they handled the situation.

He said police arrived about 10 minutes later and when the club emptied out half-an-hour later, the street was taped off and seven or eights police vehicles were outside.

Montague said “it appears to be something very trivial or very minor” that led to the altercation inside the club before her assault.

“I’ve been hearing from our officers that this is someone who is a contributing member to society that has no issues with the police or no history of having problems or getting into trouble,” he said. “In all accounts this is a really tragic set of circumstances.”

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Montague said he couldn’t go into detail about the nature of the violence.

“I think those that witnessed it are very disturbed by what they saw,” he said. “The staff at this nightclub were very upset by what they witnessed.”

Montague said police have spoken to witnesses and have video of the incident collected from inside and outside the club, as well as from witnesses’ cellphones.

The Caprice Nightclub declined to answer questions about its policies around fights.

On Friday, it posted a statement on Facebook, saying staff are “heartbroken over the senseless tragedy” that happened Thursday.

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“Every member of our organization offers their thoughts and prayers to the victim’s family and friends at this devastating time,” the nightclub wrote.

Riaz Khan, who is listed on Caprice’s website as its promotions and marketing manager, posted to Facebook that in light of the tragedy, the DLUX Fridays event would not take place.

The investigation is ongoing and police are canvassing for more evidence, including cellphone video.

Police are asking anyone with information about or who witnessed the assault to call the homicide unit at 604-717-2500 or leave information anonymously with CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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